It looks like Gov. Jerry Brown took my advice and will use $11 billion of the state's surplus to help pay down California's wall of debt instead of funding new programs.

At the same time, however, he is making sure our schools get more funding.

It's a one-two fiscal punch that is both good policy and good election-year politics.

Good policy because he is not using one-time money on new programs that might have to be cut if state revenue slumps.

Good politics because it will win him the support of the teachers and state employees who will get their raises.

He will get slammed by his fellow Democrats for not increasing spending on social programs, but his budget is clearly in step with the average voter's concerns.

They had a celebration of the new United Terminal 3E at the airport the other night.

It's the most fascinating airport terminal I've ever seen. I have no idea how you find your gate, but the lighting, the seating and design are surreal, and the food court beats out any four-star restaurant in town.

It opens to the public Jan. 28.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may not be directly responsible for ordering traffic jams in a town with an unfriendly mayor, but he certainly set the tone for his staff to make them happen.

Christie has always made it his business to talk back to anyone who questions him, to challenge people, to get in their face. His people take their signals from him on how to operate.

So when the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee wouldn't endorse his re-election last year, the Christie people were doing just what they thought he wanted them to do.

Of course, causing a four-day traffic jam because you don't like the mayor is just plain stupid. If you have a score to settle, you go after the mayor, not kids trying to get to school on the bus.

No apology from Christie can undo the fact that he created the environment that bred this conduct.

San Francisco's rapidly emerging Asian American political family turned out in force for last week's swearing-in of Carmen Chu for her first full term as treasurer. Supervisors David Chiu, Norman Yee and Katy Tang were there, along with Gorretti Lo Lui. Rose Pak was front and center.

And Chu is married to a firefighter, so the ranks were also well-represented. Add in that the ceremony was held in the old City Hall vault, and it amounted to the safest swearing-in I've ever attended.

I was in Atlanta, the new African American center of the United States, for the swearing-in of Mayor Kasim Reed, whom I have known since he was 19 years old.

It was a fun event, which clearly showed that the next generation is taking over. I'm beginning to realize just how big the gap is.

Movie time: "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." This is not about the myth of Nelson Mandela - it's about a man complete with flaws and doubts, and it doesn't gloss over the fact that some of his peers accused him of being a sellout.

As such, it's not only a remarkably complete portrait of Mandela, but also an unsparing look at what it really takes to be a leader.

It is a big, big deal, and they need to raise some money to make it happen. They're well worth it.

Nothing like a walk through the Tenderloin to get an update on what is really going on.

At a construction site on Golden Gate Avenue, I got an earful from a "local hire" worker who said the deal virtually amounted to a scam.

"Every two weeks they lay us off," he said, "then hire us back again at a different job."

A few blocks later, a cabbie pulled up and told me the new ride-share companies that were overcharging riders during the holidays are now undercutting the cabbie rates. "They're trying to drive us out of business," he said.

(At least one outfit confirmed the price cuts last week, as Uber declared that "we're going all in on being the cheapest ride in town.")

And a block later, I was reminded once again that some things never change, when a homeless guy came up and said, "Hey, Mr. Brown, you can't be down here walking by yourself.

"Why not?"

"Some of these cats may not recognize you, and they may take that coat."

Mark Feb. 11 on your calendar - that's the date for the Treasure Island ceremony to rename the western span of the Bay Bridge in honor of yours truly.

It's smack in the middle of Black History Month. It was also my mother's birthday.